58 Australian fairy penguins killed in ‘dog attack’

22 October, 2018 12:00 AM

SYDNEY: Wildlife officials in the southern Australia recently announced an investigation into the mass death of 58 penguins they believe were killed in a dog attack, reports AFP.

The carcases of the fairy penguins—the world’s smallest penguin species—were found strewn across a beach in Tasmania, a island-state off the mainland. “We would like to remind dog owners of the need to take responsibility for their animals at all times as dogs have the capacity to do a lot of damage to penguin colonies in a short period of time,” Tasmania’s department of parks, water and environment said in a statement.

The latest grisly find comes just months after a dozen birds were found dead on a nearby beach, they too are believed to have been killed in a dog attack.

“All reports of alleged unlawful harming of wildlife are regarded extremely seriously by the department,” the government department said.